An open-air production of The Tempest was threatened by bad weather in the gardens at Rydal Mount near Ambleside.
But the show must go on – so the curator of Wordsworth’s former home invited the players indoors. And the Three Inch Fools company performed the rest of the Shakespeare play in William Wordsworth’s drawing room.
The touring company had set up camp next door at the Rydal Hall campsite, staying in their own tepee, and using home-made costumes and props.
“We are a troupe of travelling actors in the true Shakespeare tradition,” said James Hyde, who founded the company with his brother Stephen earlier this year. This was their first tour, taking in locations in Northumberland and Scotland as well as the Lake District.
Rydal Mount curator Peter Elkington said: “We were delighted that so many people turned up even though it had been raining heavily all afternoon. The sensible decision was to stage the play indoors. There was a wonderful atmosphere.”
In The Tempest, magic and the supernatural come to life in a tale of monsters, drunken butlers and stormy seas.
Three Inch Fools involves ten company members, nine actors and a stage manager, who perform their own music. “It’s a creative and modern approach while being true to the Shakespeare tradition,” said James. “We think it is really important to bring this kind of theatre to the north of England and Scotland. My brother and I grew up in Cumbria and we really wanted to contribute to the cultural scene in the north.”
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